BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN

(Tursiops truncatus)

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Bottlenose Dolphin Home

Home Range

Dolphins live in a home range that can vary in size, depending on the quality of the habitat (Connor, et al. 2000). They do not defend this territory because it can be very large. Dolphins need a large home range because their food is mobile. Fish are not predictable, abundant, or evenly distributed in the ocean. Because of this mobility, the food is not easily defensible.

Also, the low cost of travel in water means that the dolphins can travel relatively large distances without the same energy needs of land mammals. Therefore, it is easier to travel long distances to feed and then return to the group (Connor, et al. 2000). Dolphins can move across vast distances in the ocean. One dolphin traveled more than 2,050 km over a period of 41 days around the coast of Florida. This dolphin averaged a speed of 48 km/hr. Another dolphin covered 4,200 km over 47 days, averaging 89 km/day. This dolphin traveled in water up to 5,000 m deep (Wells, et al. 1999).

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Photo courtesy of David Hofmann.

 
 
 

 

This webpage was completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Biology 323, Animal Behavior, at Davidson College in the Spring Semester of 2002.